Thursday, December 4, 2008

The announcement of the members of Team Canada 2009 has been delayed until Saturday December 13th, at the banquet at the Richmond International spiel, as happened last year.

The eight squad members had been told that they would know today, and the reason for the delay is unclear. Possibly Joe Rea, who did not travel to Ottawa for the Cathy Kerr, needed additional time to see them play. Or it might have been felt that announcing the team before Richmond would adversely affect the performance of those not chosen. Whatever the reason, as of today the proposed line-ups in Richmond are:

Armstrong, Neighbour, Forrest, Yitzek
Austgarden, Cormack, Sobkowicz, Gaudet
It should be noted that the proposed line-ups changed shortly before the Ottawa event.

This does, however, allow more time for those yet to cast their ballot for Team Canada 2009. Please do so in the comments section in the post below this one.

You probably hit the answer on the non-call. Team Canada has asserted themselves in both international events, finishing as top two....quite a statement so far....so what happens to the three who are cut?????

The training squad is likely to remain at 8, and to keep the other 3 intested, they will be assured that they still have a shot at 2010. And indeed they may.

The 2009 Worlds may be used as a training exercise in preparation for 2010, and if so, it would seem sensible to give Sobkowicz and Yizek a look to see how they cope in that environment, even if the present intention is not to play either in 2010. This assumes that Armstrong, Neighbour and Forrest have secured their spots.

As for the other non selected 3....we may want to ask our selves what about other players which may develop into those spots. What about returning players like Daw. What about new players which we they find or other players which could get dropped in like Armstrong did.

With the removal of most of the 2006 squad who is to ay Gerry or Jim don't find a bunch of "disabled - AB" players to fill the team up and we have that happen!

Although Team Canada coaches have been assiduously accumulating statistics (fact), team selection involves more than mathematics (opinion).

Obvious non-mathematical criteria such as who performs in the clutch, who freezes when the pressure's on, who relaxes the team and makes them play better as a unit, will surely be part of the equation.

Then there are the overtly political considerations: is it healthy for the development of the sport to have the entire team and the coach reside in BC? With plausible candidates outside of BC, that answer may change.

My personal conviction, expressed many times in my writing, is that while team selection by external coaches may satisfy the demands of funders, and arguably produce the most competent team in the short run, it is disaster for the long term growth of the sport in Canada.

At present the ONLY consideration in the minds of the selectors is winning gold in Vancouver, which is why I suspect once again achievement at the Worlds will be discounted as mere preparation for 2010.

It can be argued that Team Canada success is a separate issue from grassroots development. The excuse is Own The Podium funding. If you read the OTP wheelchair curling advisory reports you'll see why quads like Chris Rees, Frank LaBounty and Whitney Warren were never likely to make the team.

I am trying to encourage more openness and discussion of these issues. Accusations of bad faith are unhelpful and unlikely to produce better information. I believe that people like Gerry Peckham are doing what the feel is best for the sport, even when I disagree with their approach. It's easy to criticise behind an anonymous post. It is a little more helpful to put your name to constructive suggestions.

A selected team is always a political problem. However, our numbers at this point are simply too small to field an internationally competitive team through any other means.

Funding through Own the Podium, etc. are geared to a purposeful international result. It would also appear that maintaining the "status quo" regarding team selection is unlikely. This suggests that the coaches are open to constructive change. I don't see anyone questioning Armstrong, Neighbour and Forrest as making the team. The reality is that there is only one starting spot and the alternate still available.

Like the system or not, I can't see a stronger team, but would love to hear other suggested line-ups including people outside of the present 8.

And he has done alot, not just in curling but other sports as well. I asked the CPC who he was and they said he had been around for over 3o years in paralympic sport.With a run in over 5 different sports.

Does anyone know why he left wheelchair curling, or if he will be back? I emailed him, and am awaiting a response. Seems very odd that a person like him with that kind of talent not to speak of a gold medal would just leave.

Eric, do you know why at all??? Does he do anything in the curl world now?